Standing Charge Calculator UK: Daily and Annual Costs
See how daily standing charges and consumption contribute to your bill. Defaults use October–December 2026 GB Direct Debit averages; lower usage makes standing charges a larger share of the total.
At the default rates, combined standing charges are £308.46 over 365 days, or 17.9% of the example bill. Connected supplies can incur these charges even at zero use.
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Many people focus only on unit rates when comparing deals, overlooking standing charges. A tariff with lower unit rates but higher standing charges might cost more if your usage is modest. High-usage households benefit more from low unit rates.
Enter your energy details below to see how your bill splits between standing charges and usage, and whether a different tariff structure might save money. For a full gas and electricity estimate — or an electricity-only one — use the electric bill calculator.
Your Energy Rates
Uncheck for electricity only. A connected gas supply still has standing charges when usage is zero.
Standing Charges (pence per day)
Default rates: 1 October–31 December 2026. Ofgem GB averages for Direct Debit and single-rate electricity: electricity 26.32p/kWh + 54.83p/day; gas 7.97p/kWh + 29.68p/day.
These published prices already include applicable tax. Use the tax-inclusive rates from your own bill or quote for your region, payment method and tariff. Northern Ireland and multi-rate tariffs need their own rates.
Annual figures hold the entered rates for 365 days. They are an illustration, not a forecast of future quarterly caps or your Direct Debit payment. Fixed-deal figures are illustrative until you enter an actual quote.
Ofgem source · Checked 12 October 2026
Unit Rates (pence per kWh)
Annual Usage (kWh)
Ofgem's GB medium benchmark from July 2026: 2,500 kWh electricity and 9,500 kWh gas. Use your actual annual kWh.
Annualised cost at these rates
£143.63 per month
Standing Charges vs Usage
A higher standing-charge percentage at low use does not establish whether a tariff is good value. Compare total costs, including unit rates and relevant fees. These figures hold entered rates for 365 days.
Detailed Annual Breakdown
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How to calculate standing charges
A daily standing charge is separate from the unit price of consumed energy. Multiply pence per day by the number of days, then divide by 100. For a 30-day bill at 54.83p/day, that is £16.45 after rounding. This tool holds entered rates for 365 days.
At the default reference rates, electricity is £200.13 per 365 days and gas is £108.33. The combined £308.46 is an annualised example, not a prediction of future quarters.
A connected gas supply at zero use still has its standing charge. For no gas connection, uncheck the supply option to remove both gas unit costs and standing charges. Ask the supplier about any account closure or disconnection terms; turning off appliances is different.
Why standing charges are a larger share at low use
These electricity-only examples use the same tariff for 365 days. The standing amount is unchanged while unit costs grow with consumption.
| kWh/year | Standing charge | Total | Standing share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 | £200.13 | £594.93 | 33.6% |
| 2,500 | £200.13 | £858.13 | 23.3% |
| 4,000 | £200.13 | £1,252.93 | 16.0% |
A percentage is descriptive, not a good-value rating. A lower daily charge can come with higher unit rates or other conditions. Compare the whole bill using your actual annual consumption and both connected supplies.
Use the right rates for your tariff
Defaults are GB averages for Direct Debit and single-rate electricity. Region, supplier and payment method can change them. Northern Ireland needs its own rates; Economy 7 and other time-of-use tariffs need separate unit-cost calculations. Enter prices already including applicable tax.
The monthly result is the annualised cost divided by twelve. It does not set a supplier payment or include account debt, credit, export payments or support adjustments. A quarterly default held for a year is not a forecast of later caps.
Continue with the full energy-bill estimate or fixed-versus-variable tariff comparison. Keep consumption consistent between tools.
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